SUBLETTE COUNTY – A head-on collision involving two pickup trucks Thursday morning shut down U.S. Highway 191 between Daniel Junction and Bondurant for just over four hours.

The high-speed crash, reported around 8 a.m., involved a northbound Dodge pickup truck colliding nearly head-on with a southbound Chevy pickup truck.

The Chevy caught fire just after the collision and passing motorists used snow from the side of the road to try and put it out. The Dodge was driven by a single male, while the Chevy was driven by a male with a female passenger. Both drivers were life-flighted, while the female was taken to the Pinedale Medical Clinic by ambulance to be transferred to a fixed-wing aircraft at the airport.

Initial reports stated the road would be closed until 5 p.m. Thursday; however, the highway was reopened just after noon.

At the scene, Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Mitch Kannier said he suspected the collision created an impact force of 140 miles per hour, as it appeared neither driver braked before colliding. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts, he added.

From what he heard from local firefighters on scene, this was a very violent scene.

“They said this was one of the most violent head-on incidents they’ve seen in years, just because there was no braking,” Kannier said. “It’s a very bloody scene.”

Cabs in both vehicles were crushed, confining occupants to limited space. First responders used the jaws of life to cut away both truck cabs to extract the vehicles’ occupants.

The state trooper said both drivers, not yet identified, were in extreme critical condition. No information was available on the female passenger’s condition, seatbelt use or identification at press time.

Emergency responders to the scene included Sublette County EMS, Sublette County Unified Fire, Wyoming Highway Patrol, Air Idaho Rescue from Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls and the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office.